BREAKUP JOURNALS

If your head is full, getting it onto paper can make the next hour feel quieter.

These are not about writing perfect journal entries. They are different ways to get thoughts out, build a small routine and give your brain somewhere else to put the replaying.By Lifted Spirits · Updated 12 August 2026

Quick answer

Choose Burn After Writing if you need prompts. Pick The Five Minute Journal if you want a simple daily routine. Go with Moleskine or LEUCHTTURM1917 if you already know you prefer blank pages.

BUILT INTO LIFTED SPIRITS

Want to write it out without buying another journal?

Lifted Spirits includes a private journal for the honest version of what is going on. Keep entries to yourself, build a journalling streak, look back at your progress and only share something as a Reflection if you choose to.

✓Private by default✓Track your journalling streak✓Start from a quick check-in✓Share only when you want to

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Recommendations are selected for fit and usefulness, not commission.

QUICK COMPARISON

Pick by what you need, not by what costs the most.

01Best guided optionPrompt-led and easy to pick up for short sessions.02Best for routineLow-effort daily structure rather than deep breakup work.Best value 03Best blank journalSimple, flexible and the lower-cost blank-page option.Budget 04Best premium notebookThe premium choice for long-term journalling.Premium

Best guided option

Burn After Writing — Sharon Jones

Best if a blank page makes you overthink where to start.

Good if staring at a blank page makes you freeze. The prompts give you somewhere to start without turning journalling into another chore.

Skip this if: you already know you prefer completely blank pages or you dislike being led by prompts.

✓People who need prompts✓Messy thoughts✓Short evening sessions

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The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change

Best for routineBest value

The Five Minute Journal — Intelligent Change

Best value if consistency matters more than analysing every detail.

Less about analysing the breakup and more about rebuilding a small daily habit when everything else feels all over the place.

Skip this if: you want somewhere to write long, unfiltered entries about what happened.

✓Simple daily structure✓Low-effort consistency✓Getting out of negative loops

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Best blank journalBudget

Moleskine Classic Notebook, Large

Best if you want complete freedom and no prompts at all.

The straightforward option if you already know what you want to write and just need somewhere private to get it out of your head.

Skip this if: you tend to stare at a blank page and need questions or structure to get moving.

✓Free writing✓Longer entries✓No prompts or rules

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Best premium notebookPremium

LEUCHTTURM1917 A5 Notebook

Best if you want one notebook to keep using long after the breakup stage.

A more polished notebook if you want journalling to feel like something worth returning to rather than a temporary breakup exercise.

Skip this if: you are only testing whether journalling suits you and do not need to spend more yet.

✓Long-term journalling✓Structured notes✓A more premium feel

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BEFORE YOU CHOOSE

Paper or digital?

Paper is useful when you want distance from your phone and somewhere physical to unload thoughts. Digital journalling is easier to search, revisit and keep with you. The better option is the one you will actually return to.

What do you write first?

Start smaller than you think: what happened today, what you are feeling right now, what you wish you could say, or what you need to get through the next few hours. It does not need to sound insightful.

When to stop writing

If writing is turning into an hour of replaying the same conversation and you feel worse afterwards, stop. Journalling should help you notice and process things, not trap you in another loop.

STILL NOT SURE?

If we were choosing one, we would start with the format you are most likely to actually use.

Need prompts? Burn After Writing. Want a tiny daily habit? Five Minute Journal. Already like free writing? Moleskine. Want a notebook you will keep for years? LEUCHTTURM1917.

Best guided optionBurn After Writing — Sharon Jones Best for routineThe Five Minute Journal — Intelligent Change Best blank journalMoleskine Classic Notebook, Large Best premium notebookLEUCHTTURM1917 A5 Notebook

COMMON QUESTIONS

Useful answers before you buy anything.

What should I write in a journal after a breakup?

Start with what happened, what you felt, what you are struggling not to do, and what you need today. You do not need to solve the whole breakup in one entry.

Is paper journalling better than digital journalling?

Neither is automatically better. Paper can create more distance from notifications and scrolling; digital is easier to access and revisit. Consistency matters more than the format.

Can journalling make overthinking worse?

It can if every entry becomes repetitive replaying without any stopping point. Keep sessions short when you are raw, and switch activities if writing is leaving you more wound up than before.

NEED PEOPLE, NOT ANOTHER PRODUCT?

The journal is only one part of it.

Lifted Spirits also gives you somewhere to talk, reflect and meet people who understand what this stage can feel like.

Join Lifted Spirits free

KEEP GOING

Related resources

Breakup recovery books No contact resources Heartbreak support